Follow this link to the numerous stakeholder comments for the OSHA Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the Regulations.Gov site Better yet, got to the "View by Docket Folder" tab and Sign up for Email alerts on the right side of the page.
OSHA's inspection found that combustible particulate solids, which were generated during trimming and repair operations, were not collected into an adequately designed dust collection system, were allowed to accumulate on machinery and surfaces, and were not adequately cleaned up to prevent such buildup.
Housekeeping appears to be the major issue with this recent OSHA citation for combustible dust fire and explosion hazards at a Pawcatuck, Connecticut plant. Reviewing a MSDS sheet for glass-reinforced plastics (GRP) highlights that GRP is a compound based upon a mix of glass fibre in a polyester and styrene resin based mix.
The fire hazards of GRP arise when combustible dust from machining and fabrication operations of combustible particulate solids may be explosive if mixed with air in critical proportions in the presence of an ignition source. Additionally, during storage and handling the dust generated during normal manufacturing operations can represent both a health hazard and a fire hazard. Most importantly as the OSHA news release informs stakeholders to use dust control equipment at the point of generation in machining and sawing operations.
An often overlooked potential ignition source are powered industrial trucks where combustible dust mentioned in this news release was exposed to several potential ignition sources, including an LP gas-powered industrial truck. What class of forklift are you using at your facility? Is it rated for use in potentially explosive atmospheres? The recent status report on the OSHA Combustible Dust NEP emphasized that combustible dust citations for powered industrial trucks was the third most cited violation after hazardous communication and housekeeping violations.
The 5th Annual Industrial Fire, Safety, and Security Conference (IFSS) in Houston, Texas will be hosting a Full-Day Combustible Dust Workshop on February 2, 2010, which will provide information assisting stakeholders in addressing potential combustible dust ignition sources. During one segment of the workshop, guest speaker Robert Zuiderveld, General Manager of Business Development Americas from Pyroban Corp. will share with attendees specific information on the operation of powered industrial trucks in combustible dust. work environments. Information throughout the full day workshop will assist stakeholders in operating and maintaining a safe workplace in addition to achieving OSHA regulatory compliance.
Good housekeeping is a major issue at facilities with the generation of combustible dust from combustible particulate solids. Many facility managers and owners are not aware of the proper methods in cleaning up the dust. You just can't take a compressed air hose and start blowing down the area nor sweeping while unaware of the dust clouds that can be generated, which provide an explosive atmosphere similar to a flammable vapor cloud. Potential ignition sources in the process are inherent at many facilities. The safe and approved alternative is the use of an explosive-proof rated vacuum cleaner.
Guest speaker Bruce Gordon, Senior District Manager, from Nilfisk CFM will speak in the afternoon at the Combustible Dust workshop on "Proper Housekeeping and Explosion-Proof Vacuums Hazardous Locations" concerning good housekeeping that will minimize the likelihood of a combustible dust related fire or explosion in addition to achieving regulatory compliance. OSHA combustible dust citations are costly yet a catastrophic secondary dust explosion leveling the facility can be even more of problem. Do you know about the combustible dust hazards at your facility?
Resources
Glass-Reinforced Plastics (GRP)
the ACGIH® Industrial Ventilation Committee is hosting this webinar aimed at educating the EH&S community on the importance of preparing for and preventing dust related incidents in industrial ventilation systems.
Over 60% of combustible dust General Duty Clause citation examples in the recent OSHA status report on Combustible Dust National Emphasis Program were for industrial ventilation issues. Jonathan F. Hale, MS, founder and co-owner of Air System Corporation & Diagnostics and Marty Schloss, PE and General Manager, southeast operations, for KBD/Technic, Inc., a CECO Environmental Company will provide attendees to the webinar with strategies in dust control and ignition control in preventing combustible dust related fires and dust explosions in addition vital information in maintaining current and future regulatory compliance.
This webinar has been approved by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH) for .42 ABIH (IH) Certification Maintenance (CM) Point (. This webinar qualifies for .15 BCSP (SP) Continuance of Certification (COC) Point for Certified Safety Professionals. Participants seeking CM and/or COC points must attend the live webinar or view the archive and submit a final exam and evaluation. Certificates of Completion will be issued in a timely manner after receipt and completion of these items.
Who Should Attend this Webinar?
* Industrial Hygienists
* Occupational and Environmental Health Professionals
* Safety Professionals
* Environmental Engineers
* Plant Managers
ACGIH® Members: $292.50 Nonmembers: $325.00
Test and Certificate of Completion Only:*** $25.00 per person
DOWNLOAD Intertek WHITE PAPER:
"Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Requirements"Complete the registration form with the link below to receive a free copy of Intertek's informative white paper, and learn more about the differences between North American and European rules.
Excellent Intertek document that explains global classification systems of potentially explosive atmospheres such as flammable atmospheres of gases, mists, liquids, combustible dusts, and fibres. Describes important differences between the Zone (Europe and NEC505) and Division (NEC500) systems in hazardous (classified) locations?
Posted via web from ComDust
National Cotton Council (NCC)-urges OSHA to "use caution" in regulating textile mills concerning combustible dust in factories.
National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA) -September 2008, OSHA issued an advisory stating there was no history of combustible dust events at transfer stations, materials recovery facilities (MRFs) or landfills
The Georgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner will be holding a 10:00 a.m hearing on the 7th Floor, West Tower, Floyd Building, 2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive in Atlanta, GA , Monday January 25, 2010 on a proposed combustible dust regulation.
Prior to the upcoming hearing Georgia adopted an emergency regulation last year, "Rules and Regulations for Loss Prevention Due to Combustible Dust Explosions and Fire"
The proposed regulation, solely relying on the national industries (NAICS) listed in the OSHA Combustible Dust NEP is a sure path to disaster. Over 50% of combustible dust incidents in 2008 occurred in national industries (NAICS) not listed in Appendix D-1/D-2 of the OSHA NEP . So what about industries that create combustible dust in specific industry groups that have experienced either frequent combustible dust incidents or combustible dust incidents with catastrophic consequences that the Georgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner failed to acknowledge with a history of incidents?
Additionally, there is no guidelines in the proposed regulation that MSDS's will provide employers and workers with the most current information needed to understand the hazards associated with combustible dusts, as well as appropriate protective measures to be taken.
Information such as physical data (melting point, boiling point, flash point, etc.) is fine. But it does not include ignition sensitivity such as minimum ignition temperature (MIT) and explosion severity of combustible dusts. Over 80% of incidents are combustible dust related fires. Facility owners/managers are not aware that they need an ignition control program to minimize probability of combustible dust related fires.
The NFPA Fire Analysis and Research Division recently published a report on U.S. Industrial and Manufacturing Property Structure Fires For example, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 10,500 structure fires in industrial and manufacturing properties per year in 2003-2006.How can stakeholders implement layers of protection for combustible dust related fires when there is no knowledge of MIT? It is dismaying that MIT is not mentioned in the physical properties but instead flash point is.
Another weak link in the proposed regulation is no mention that contractors also need training, same as employees, on the fire and explosion hazards of combustible dust. Many combustible dust related fires over the past two years have occurred due to contractors providing the ignition source while conducting hot work.
Hopefully some of these important issues will be brought up amongst the business, labor, and government stakeholders at the Monday morning meeting.
Posted via web from ComDust
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Stakeholder Meetings on Combustible DustWednesday, February 17, 2010
9:00am - Noon and 1:30pm - 4:30pmMarriott Perimeter Center
Register now as a participant or observer for the OSHA Combustible Dust Rulemaking Stakeholder Meeting to be held in Atlanta, Georgia . Federal Register Notice January 25, 2010
Posted via web from ComDust
Questions, Problems, Feedback? Please send email by clicking this link...Thanks
RSS Feed Subscribe